The cache was described as being in a ‘natural nest‘, 8 paces from a ‘forest giant’. When our GPS told us we were within a few metres of the right co-ordinates, there was the large tree, and 8 paces back along the track was a fallen tree with the obvious ‘nest’. Previous geocachers had covered the cache with some pieces of bark, and it stood out but, unless you were looking for something, it would not be noticed.
A few kilometres further along the highway is the beginning of the walk to Lake Rotopounamu. Again, it was beautiful country and an easy wide track. We were surprised as we were coming closer to the lake to meet a pack of five dogs trotting down the track ahead of us. A few minutes later, we saw them coming back with two seedy-looking characters. One of them said, ‘We’re looking for a wild hog.’ In a National Park?
(Later, we called in to the Department of Conservation to report them.)
We came out on to a beach with grey coarse sand, obviously volcanic. We were close to the right co-ordinates so we starting looking for a fallen log, 2 or 3 metres in and parallel to the track. Duh! There were dozens which could have fitted that description. Anyway, we asked ourselves, “Which is the most obvious?’ and chose the largest, which was covered with moss and looked as if it had been there for decades. And there was the cache, tucked under the back of the log and semi-hidden by a piece of bark. This cache was lunch-box size and had a number of objects in it as well as the usual notebook and pencil: a balloon, plastic soldier, magnifying glass, etc.
It’s interesting to look through the logbooks to see who has been there before us. Eileen from the Czech Republic came through in late-April, others from Germany, Canada and the US had also been to this cache in 2010.
On the way home we tried something different - a multi-stage puzzle. In these, there are a number of points to find and all you are given are the coordinates to the first. At that point are the coordinates to the next step. The coordinates given on the website were S 390 2.876’ E1750 49.045’ and the clue was ‘Point to the Blue’. At those coordinates we found a signpost pointing to something called ‘Blue Pool’.
On the back of the signpost was a blue tag with a new set of coordinates: S 390 02.791’ E 1750 49.997’. From here, it’s a matter of following your nose. We wandered around for a while, watching how the coordinates changed on the GPS. We came close and at one point the GPS read S 390 02.791’ E1750 49.985’, but we were, apparently, on the wrong side of a busy highway and there also seemed to be a fence in the way, so we gave up and went off to find a coffee shop.
I’ve still got some learning to do in the finer points of navigation with a GPS.
Following our usual pattern of having every second day a lazy one, today we visited the Tongariro National Trout Centre which is just a few kilometres out of town.
It’s a wonderful place, similar to Plenty near Hobart, and very geared up for school children. The first trout in New Zealand were introduced here in about 1883 and came from Tasmania. Zane Grey in the 1930s came here and called it El Dorado. When he wrote about it back in America, it brought a flurry of visitors and founded the multi-million dollar industry we see today. Zane Grey did something similar for marlin fishing out of Queensland, I believe.
We had planned to go to Rotary tonight. There was no telephone number for bookings so we called in to the venue to check on details. Unfortunately, the girl told us the meeting had been cancelled for some reason so Marilyn is forced to cook another meal tonight. Last night she put some pine nuts and garlic in a frypan to brown, got involved in writing her Newsletter #4 and managed to burn them. What a smell! We had to have the door open for hours to try to clear it a bit.
Tomorrow night will be our last night in Turangi and we’ve booked in to a Curry Night at a local restaurant so we’ll try to use up what food we have left tonight. It’ll be a bit of a mystery what we end up with. Marilyn says she will take the last few bits and pieces - salt, oil, pasta, oats - to the nearby backpackers where somebody will appreciate them. If we leave anything in the fridge here, it will be thrown out.
We need to book out of here by 9.30 on Friday as they have a complete turnover of customers every week. We plan to return to Auckland via Taupo and Rotorua, and will stay at the airport on Friday night, before getting our plane out at 6.45 on Saturday morning. The car is due back at Budget at 4.30! I wonder if they will be open.
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